if you upgrade hardware w windows 10 you will have to buy it! :(

[CyanideInsanity]

Who knows, from what I gather, people have upgraded from pirated Windows 7 and have been able to activate Windows 10 (as in, it's not showing as non-genuine). AFAIK, there's nothing to suggest that will change in the future.

Who knows indeed. There's been so many vague statements from microsoft, a few contradictions too, and mass speculation, I can't keep up with it.

[GoodBytes]

To the people saying it has been this way for a long time I can tell you for certain that this was not the case with Windows 8.1 as I've moved my SSD to 3 different computers and it worked perfect on all of them. And yes with the exact same installing of W8.1 - needed to clarify because some people are pretty darn stupid

No it deactivates and you need reactivates. If it worked it is because the hardware is too similar. Based on my testing (as I have tested this), Win8 tend to also screw up when you do this, and requires a re-install. Win10 doesn't on my side. Seams more robust.

 

So wait i have two retail keys one for windows 7 and one for 8.1, so if i upgrade to 10 a lose the my retail keys, and the ability to transfer from system to system, hmmmm not impressed.

No. Your old Windows keys are still fine. What isn't permitted is for you to take that key and use it on another system, and now you have one with Win10, and other with Win7/8 (and then upgrade to Win10).

[Swndlr]

Oh, I thought you were saying that you had to buy a new version of windows each time.

Na m8

[Crazy Ginger]

I will be honest, my windows key came from a Samsung laptop running windows 8 and somehow I got it working on my desktop with no issues

[StareX]

Hmmm, that's if you upgrade. but what if you got a Windows 10 CD Key? I have got one.. and can have 3 more.

CD Key isn't dependent on hardware... or online ? right??

[APrettyCoolWalrus]

I happen to remember a certain tutorial on this forum that allowed you to transfer Windows between different motherboards, maybe soon we can use the same method for W10:http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/106642-how-to-keep-your-current-windows-install-with-a-new-motherboard/page-1

[bcredeur97]

this is ridiculous... im so mad right now. Look at my sig. I obviously need an upgrade soon and I was planning it. 

 

 

Looks like ill be getting into piracy soon....

[NAP51DMustang]

Same with 7, 8 and 8.1 I am sure

3 different mobos, same copy of Win7. you just reformat and reinstall, at least that's what I've always done.

[NAP51DMustang]

I am sure you did a lot of my friends have made the switch from AMD to Intel and had to do it also why you getting so defensive?

had a defective memory controller in an i7 and got it RMA'd with intel. just reformatted the boot drive and reinstalled no problem. I've never had this issue with any version of Windows where it won't let me reinstall on any amount of new hardware.

[Paranoid Kami]

The tech support guy just didn't know what he was talking about.

[alicskysareblue]

Hey guys this may be a bit of an outrage but here i go

SOURCE: http://imgur.com/gallery/8OJ4t and https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/3f02fu/psa_you_must_upgrade_your_existing_windows_os_to/

Microsoft has decided to make people pay for windows 10 if we are upgrading hardware like motherboard and some other hardware you will have to pay for windows 10 every time. :angry:

THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!

Why would microsoft do this?

if we make enough noise i think we will be able to do something about it

no it isn't it's always been like this the key is tied to your cpu and mother board you can upgrade everything else as always. Please know the facts before you scream outrage. What you have is basically an oem copy

[EonityLuna]

This hardware thing has been in place for a long time, though if you call them up and explain to them nicely about your situation they will usually give you a free pass and let you activate again. Usually everything but changing the motherboard is allowed, but I got lucky once and was allowed to reactivate when I was bumped up to a newer motherboard model after I RMA'd my old one and the distributor didn't have stock of the motherboard model I used - explained to the guy what happened and he helped reactivate my Windows 8.1 Pro OEM installation for me, which has since been upgraded to Windows 10 Pro.

[DEDRICK]

Hey guys this may be a bit of an outrage but here i go

 

SOURCE: http://imgur.com/gallery/8OJ4t and https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/3f02fu/psa_you_must_upgrade_your_existing_windows_os_to/

 

Microsoft has decided to make people pay for windows 10 if we are upgrading hardware like motherboard and some other hardware you will have to pay for windows 10 every time.  :angry:

 

THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!

 

Why would microsoft do this?

 

if we make enough noise i think we will be able to do something about it

 

Except your Windows 8.1 or 7 key is still valid and can be used on a new PC/motherboard.  They gave you Windows 10 for FREE, with conditions

[Master Disaster]

I was under the impression windows generates a hardware ID and ties it to your Microsoft account when it activates.

I'm sure I read somewhere you can login to your account and delete machines, surely you can delete your old machine from your account then reactivate and generate a fresh ID tied to your new hardware?

[WolfDeville]

No it deactivates and you need reactivates. If it worked it is because the hardware is too similar. Based on my testing (as I have tested this), Win8 tend to also screw up when you do this, and requires a re-install. Win10 doesn't on my side. Seams more robust.

Originally installed it on my x79 rig then popped it in my mates z87 rig and my laptop. I wouldn't say any of those are similar to eachother.

[Arty]

I will pirate, if i upgrade in the future and can't use my shit.

end of story no debate idk about what you think, this is objectively wrong.

[cragger89]

Indeed.

[GoodBytes]

this is ridiculous... im so mad right now. Look at my sig. I obviously need an upgrade soon and I was planning it. 

 

 

Looks like ill be getting into piracy soon....

I have a Core i7 930 and don't need an upgrade, and yes I game very much on it.

But beside that, if you have OEM version of Windows 7/8, you already knew it is locked to your motherboard. Hence the reduce price. So there is no problem here, you are supposed to buy a new Windows license regardless.

If you have the retail copy, then you have 1 year to get that new computer that you claim you need. You can install back your Windows 7 or 8, and upgrade to 10 for free.

[pixeldensity]

Hopefully people will only need to call Microsoft support and have it reactivated when changing out their mobo and cpu. Because after next year i'm planning to upgrade most of my parts and I'm switching from amd to intel cpu and I would not want to buy another copy of windows 10.

[Stuff_]

Let me get this straight:

 

People get a free upgrade of Windows 10, and are complaining that it has restrictions?

 

If you actually bought a retail copy of Windows 10, you can install it on AS MANY DIFFERENT MOBOS AS YOU WANT. So long as they aren't simultaneously activated (no sharing of the product key).

If you build a new PC, you can reuse that key. This is for the purchased copy.

[CTR640]

I think it's only the mobo itself.  Although even if the CPU was linked to the OS I don't know many people that change CPUS and don't upgrade the mobo at the same time.

 

You can change the GPU, Ram, Hdd, SSD Odd and any other peripheral without having to buy a new OS.

So I am good to upgrade to nVidia Pascal next year without rebuying windows key? I do own a legit OEM W7 Home key though and I don't want to upgrade to W10.

[Chicken]

You been livin under a rock for the last couple of years?

Couple years?? They've been doing this way more than 2 years.

[Chicken]

but every upgrade of your motherboard you will have to buy it

Yes, it's been like that for a long time, all OEM(or system builder) version of windows is bound to the first motherboard its installed on. Retail version doesn't have this limitation.

[HalGameGuru]

The thing is previous windows versions in OEM DID allow you to change motherboards (or other primary components) but it had to be due to "failure." Claimed anyway. You could reactivate manually and if they balked you just said your hardware failed and had to replace.

 

EDIT:

Had to do this many times from XP thru 7 with HP and Dell machines where the OEM mainboards were garbage. Swap out, reactivate over the phone, move on.

[GoodBytes]

Your not allowed to move copy of windows to new system with oem, you are allowed with retail as long you only activate it on one system only.

Even oem allows hardware upgrades like new ssd or graphics card etc will activate no problem again online after using phone activation for first time after hardware change.

 

But since you get generic key on windows 10 if you got free upgrade you cannot use phone activation which makes me wonder how you activate if move to new ssd if previous one died.

 

Oem actually can also be moved from PC to PC as long activated only on one system, although officially its not allowed you can still activate by phone.

That was the conversation I was having.